SPAA NEWSROOM
2020 SHINE Mural Festival - Artist: Alex Yanes

 

The St. Pete Arts Alliance’s Funding Future Program has awarded over $5,800 to help students find training in the arts, despite COVID and social distancing guidelines.

As St. Petersburg arts organizations were starting to plan for 2020 summer arts camps, the Coronavirus Pandemic had other things in mind for in-person programs in dance, music, jazz, voice, theater, digital arts, writing, photography, cinematic arts and visual arts. Due to social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home orders, programs were canceled one by one.

But as the impact of this unexpected and unprecedented crisis unfolded, many arts organizations made the shift to online education and were able to present impactful, fulfilling and supportive arts programs for our city’s talented low-income emerging artists.

Here are just a few words from local students and arts organizations.

Zoom viola lessons with Florida Orchestra member Kaitlin Springer

 “At the beginning of the summer he was already able to get around to playing three-octave scales in a few different keys. Now, he is able to play all 10 of the three-octave scale requirements for All State with arpeggios in tempo.

“This is an incredible amount of growth for such a short period of time. I am very proud of the work he has done and of his determination to gain mastery of the viola!

“I am so incredibly happy that your organization is here to help students go beyond their regular classroom education and excel in the arts by providing scholarships for summer programs and after school programs! I’ve attached a picture here from one of our Zoom meetings.” – Kaitlin Springer of The Florida Orchestra

Socially-distant dance lessons at the Academy of Ballet Arts

“Marissa acquired a new confidence and improved technically beyond my expectations. She benefited the most from Somatic class. Ms. Noa helped her understand the complexities of her body and showed her exercises to improve her muscular challenges. The physical demand of five classes a day, built strength and courage.” – Ms. P.

“De’Jai only knew three students in the program because they all attend PCCA. She integrated herself into the whole group extremely well. I observed her going over combinations, choreography and somatic exercises with other students. She supported her classmates in classroom showings and they supported her growth and performance qualities.” – Ms. P

“I learned plenty of things but one that allowed me to grow the most in the summer intensive was how to push myself further and to try my best!” – De’Jai

 Nomad Art Bus Micro-Camps
Westminster Heights and Childs Park

From sculpture building to finger painting, the students at Nomad Art Bus gathered safely together in a MicroCamp of creative exploration. The funding that SPAA provided helped to allow children and artists to get creative together in their own neighborhoods.

Art is a form of human expression. It is for all people, not just those with access to the tools, supplies and education to participate. In 2013, artist Carrie Boucher transformed a retired bus into a mobile studio to bring hands-on, open-ended art exploration to the world and NOMADstudio — Neighborhood Oriented Mobile Art + Design Studio — was born.

. . .

Donations help build the Funding Futures Grant Program
Your gift will help a young artist advance their skills and hone their talents, and pursue an artistic future.

Donate here

. . .

 WE’RE GRATEFUL TO OUR AMAZING AND GENEROUS DONORS, WHO HELP MAKE THIS PROGRAM POSSIBLE 

Duke Energy
Pinellas Community Foundation
Suncoast Credit Union Foundation
DeBartolo Family Foundation
Tampa Bay Times
Doyle Wealth Management
Mahaffey Foundation
Jacarlene Foundation
Catalina Marketing

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